Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Fidelity vs IG
Where Fidelity and IG differ
| Compare |  Fidelity |  IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0 | £0 |
| Account fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds, Futures, Forex | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting |
| Regulators | SEC, FINRA, SIPC | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69% |
| Margin rate | 12.375% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRA, Joint | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5% |
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Key differences
- Regulators: only Fidelity offers SEC, FINRA.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- IG is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Fidelity offers Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only IG offers CFDs, Crypto, Spread betting.
- Features: only Fidelity offers Crypto, Options, Futures.
Our verdict on each
Fidelity
Fidelity is a US brokerage that suits investors who want to hold and trade without a standing charge: its minimum deposit, account fee and inactivity fee all sit at $0, $0 and $0. Stock dealing is commission-free, with SIPC protection recorded as SIPC up to USD 500,000.
IG
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single roof, with an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5% on uninvested balances. Share dealing runs commission-free, while the retail loss rate is 69%.
Score breakdown
| Area | Fidelity | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Site ranks it 1 of 138 on account fee and 1 of 161 on stock trade fee. | 9.3Higher |
| Offer | 9.5 | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. |
| Trust | 9.8Higher | 9.5 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Fidelity | IG |
|---|---|---|
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 23292 | SIPC SIPC member 71021 |
| Germany | Not confirmed | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 |
What we checked
Fidelity
- brokerage-review.com: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- editorialge.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- fidelity.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- sipc.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Fidelity | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 37 of 490 | 39 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 14 of 147 | 15 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 12 of 145 | 13 of 145 |
| Options trading platforms | 9 of 103 | 11 of 103 |
| Futures trading platforms | 10 of 83 | 11 of 83 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Fidelity | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto, Options, FuturesCovers more | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners, Experienced | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | FIDELITY BROKERAGE SERVICES LLC | IG Europe GmbH |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | 1946 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Community | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Fidelity | IG |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | ETF, ESG, Crypto | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Fidelity | IG | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | Not confirmed | $10 |
| Inactivity fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 69%below the median | 70.375% |
| Margin rate | 12.375%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 2.5%below the median | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Fidelity
Pros
- Costs sit at the floor: stock trade fee $0, account fee $0, inactivity fee $0 and minimum deposit $0
- The client entity is listed on the SIPC register as SIPC member 23292, with protection recorded at SIPC up to USD 500,000
- Account types cover retirement and shared holdings: ira, roth ira and joint
Cons
- Support runs on phone and community only, so that list carries no chat or email channel
- Options contracts cost $0.65 each, the main charge where stock dealing is free
- Margin borrowing is priced at 12.375%, a cost on top of the free equity dealing
IG
Pros
- Markets list stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting sit together.
- Regulated by Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, with client protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Platform choice runs Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.
Cons
- Retail accounts that lose money come to 69%.
- The commission-free model in commission free applies to share dealing, and it does not extend to trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options or futures.
- Accounts sit with IG Europe GmbH in Germany, so compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who each suits
Fidelity
Who it suits
- Retirement savers, since ira, roth ira and joint are all listed as account types
- Buyers investing small amounts, as fractional shares sit in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app
- Traders who want stocks, bonds, funds, options, futures and forex in one place, as stocks, etfs and options shows
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want CFDs, since stocks, etfs and options leaves them out and CFI lists stocks, etfs and forex
- Anyone who prefers a required opening deposit, since $0 sets none where Vantage asks $5
IG
Who it suits
- Traders who want stocks, etfs and forex reachable from the same account rather than several platforms.
- Share buyers who want dealing on a commission-free basis, since commission free covers their trades.
- EU clients who weight regulation and compensation, given Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC and EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a platform built around share dealing and crypto alone should compare CFI, whose stocks, etfs and forex is a shorter, simpler list.
- Investors priced in dollars rather than euros should weigh eToro, where the stock trade fee is $0.
- Anyone weighing only the account charge should know Vantage lists $0, so IG's €0 is not the only way to hold an account cheaply.
Country by country
| Country | Fidelity | IG |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Fidelity
What does it cost to trade stocks at Fidelity?+
Stock dealing is commission-free, with a stock trade fee of $0. The account fee is $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so there is no standing charge to hold the account. Options contracts are the exception, at $0.65 each.
Is there an inactivity fee if I stop trading?+
The inactivity fee is $0, so an idle account is not charged for sitting still. On the site it ranks 1 of 56 brands measured for that fee. With the account fee at $0, a dormant account carries no listed running cost.
IG
What does it cost to trade shares with IG?+
Share dealing runs on a commission-free model, with a stock trade fee of £0 and an account fee of €0. Those are the two figures that matter for holding and trading, and both sit at the floor of the site tables. Trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options and futures are quoted apart from share dealing.
Who regulates IG and is my money protected?+
The regulators are Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, and the licences listed are MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 and SIPC member 71021. Client protection in the EU is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so a claim against the firm is covered only up to that ceiling. Any balance above the cap is your own exposure.
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